Canopy



Nov. 3, 1964 E. F. HAMlLTON 3,154,386

CANOPY Filed April 1, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR. 15/224 F #Vfi/A 70/14 W. 3, 1964 E. F. HAMILTON 3,154,886

CANOPY Filed April 1, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR. 154124 F flm/z m4 Mme/vars.

United States Patent 3,154,886 CANGPY Earl F. Hamilton, Columbus, Ind, assignor to Hamilton Cosco, inc, Columbus, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Filed Apr. 1, 163, Ser. No. 269,505 Claims. (Cl. 47-44) This invention relates to a canopy, and more particulary to a canopy mountable on a shelf structure.

It is an object of my invention to provide a canopy of attractive appearance which can be quickly and easily assembled for mounting on a shelf structure, which will provide a supporting grid above said shelf structure, and which can be economically manufactured from inexpensive lengths of metal rod.

In accordance with the preferred form of my invention, there is provided a pair of interconnected longitudinally extending runners having down-turned ends receivable over the opposed ends of a shelf structure. A pair of opposed banks of longitudinally spaced members are mounted on a pair of runners with their lower ends resting on said shelf and their upper ends converging toward each other above said runners. A pair of opposed generally U-shaped connectors are disposed adjacent the upper ends of said banks of members with their bights connected to said members and their arms projecting inwardly therefrom. Cooperative locking means are provided on said arms for releasably locking them together and interconnecting said banks of members adjacent the upper ends thereof.

Other objects and features of my invention will become apparent from the more detailed description which follows and from the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a canopy embodying my invention mounted on a shelf;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a horizontal section taken on the line 5--5 of FIG. 4.

My canopy is adapted to be mounted on shelf to provide a decorative structure on said shelf which may support plants, vines, etc. and further provide a structure about which vines or the like may entwine themselves.

Conveniently, my canopy may be formed from lengths of metal rod and comprises a pair of longitudinally extending runners 12 having their ends 14 bent downwardly and sprung outwardly over the ends of the shelf 10 for mounting the canopy on said shelf. The runners 12 are interconnected by a plurality of longitudinally spaced cross braces 16 having their ends hooked, as at 17, for reception on the runners 12. A plurality of longitudinally extending braces 18 are rigidly connected to the cross braces 16 to interconnect said cross braces and act in combination therewith to form a horizontally disposed supporting grid above the plane of the shelf 10.

A bank 19 of longitudinally spaced upright members 20 is rigidly connected to each of the runners 12 as by welding. Desirably, each of the members 26 has its upper and lower ends bent into a circular configuration, as at 21, and the lower ends of said members, which are disposed below the plane of the runners 12, are supported on the shelf 10. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the members project above the runners 12 and converge laterally and longitudinally inwardly. A pair of vertically spaced longitudinally extending braces 23 are rigidly connected to the members 29 in each bank to interconnect and cross brace said members above their connections to their runner 12.

3,154,885 Patented Nov. 3, 1964 A pair of generally U-shaped connectors 25 and 26 are mounted on the two banks of members 21) adjacent their upper ends. As shown, each of the connectors comprises a bight 27 rigidly connected, as by welding, to one bank of the members 20 and integral with a pair of inwardly projecting arms 28 disposed in a horizontal plane in parallelism with the cross bnaces 16. The ends of the arms 28 on the connector 25 are bent to form eyelets 30 for the reception of hooks 31 bent in the ends of the arms 28 on the connector 26. Preferably, the arms 28 on the connectors 25 and 26 are of a length such that they retain the upper ends of the two banks of members 20 stressed inwardly toward each other.

As will be apparent, when my canopy is used as a trellis structure for vines or the like, the pots containing the vines may be supported on the grid formed by the braces 16 and 18, and the members 21 together with the braces 23 and connectors 25 and 26 provide an attractive trellis type structure about which the vines may entwine themselves. If desired, the grid formed by the braces 16 and 18 may be removed from the runners and the pots may be supported directly on the shelf 10. When the grid is removed, the canopy will still be supported on the shelf by the runner ends 14 being received over the ends of the shelf and lower ends of the member 2% resting on said shelf.

My canopy may be disassembled for storage and/or shipment by merely stressing the lower ends of the two banks 19 of members 20 inwardly toward each other to remove the brace hooks 17 from the runners 12. The bank of members 2@ shown to the right in FIG. 2 is then swung in a counter-clockwise direction with the hooks 31 pivoting about the eyelets 30 until the terminal portions of said hooks are generally normal to the planes .of said eyelets whereupon the right-hand bank of members 20 can be disengaged from the left-hand bank of members.

I claim:

1. A canopy, comprising (a) a pair of longitudinally extending runners having downwardly projecting ends,

([2) a bank of longitudinally spaced members fixedly connected to each of said pair of runners and extending above and below said runners,

(c) the members in each bank of members being spaced from each other along their lengths and converging upwardly from their associated runner toward the upper ends of the members in said other bank of members, and

(d) means mounted on said banks of members and extending longitudinally and inwardly of each of said banks of members for releasably interconnecting said banks of members to each other in an inwardly stressed condition.

2. A canopy, comprising (a) a pair of longitudinally extending runners having downwardly projecting ends,

(b) a plurality of cross braces releasably interconnecting said pair of runners,

(c) a plurality of longitudinally extending braces interconnecting said cross braces and acting in combination with said cross braces to form a horizontally disposed supporting grid,

(d) a bank of longitudinally spaced members fixedly connected to each of said pair of runners and extending above and below said runners,

(e) the members in each bank of members being spaced from each other along their lengths and converging upwardly from their associated runner toward the upper ends of the members in said other bank of members, and

(f) means, including said cross braces, mounted on each of said banks of members and extending longitudinally and inwardly of each of said banks of members for releasably interconnecting said banks of members in an inwardly stressed condition.

3. A canopy, comprising (a) a pair of interconnected longitudinally extending runners having downwardly projecting ends,

(b) a bank of longitudinally spaced members connected to each of'said anes runners,

'(c) the members in each bank of members Converging upwardly from their associated runner toward the upper ends of said other bank of members,

(d) a pair of opposed inwardly projecting -U-shaped connectors mounted on said banks of members adjacent the upper ends thereof, and

(e) said connectors having means at their inwardly presented ends releasably interconnecting them to gether for releasably interconnecting said banks of members adjacent their upper ends.

4. A canopy, comprising (a) a pair of longitudinally extending runners having downwardly projecting ends,

(b) a plurality of cross braces releasably interconnecting said pair of runners,

(c) a plurality of longitudinally extending braces interconnecting said cross braces and acting in combination with said cross braces to form a horizontally disposed supporting grid,

(d) a bank of longitudinally spaced members connected to each of said pair of runners,

(e) the members in each bank of members converging upwardly from their associated runner toward the upper ends of said other bank of members,

(f) a pair of opposed inwardly projecting U-shaped connectors mounted on said banks of members adjacent the upper ends thereof, and

(g) said connectors having means at their inwardly presented ends releasably interconnecting them together for releasably interconnecting said banks of members adjacent their upper ends.

5. A canopy mountable on a shelf structure, comprising (a) a pair of longitudinally extending runners having downwardly extending runners adapted to be springstressed over a pair of opposed ends of said shelf structure,

(17) a bank of longitudinally spaced members connected to each of said pair of runners, (c) the members in the bank of members projecting below their associated runner to rest on said shelf structure and converging upwardly from their associated runner toward the upper ends of said other bank of members,

(d) a pair of opposed inwardly projecting U-shaped connectors mounted on said banks of members adjacent the upper ends thereof, and

(e) said connectors having means at their inwardly presented ends releasably interconnecting them together for releasably interconnecting said banks of members adjacent their upper ends.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 462,674 Whitehouse Nov. 3, 1891 948,620 VV ait Feb. 8, 1910 1,018,157 Black Feb. 20, 1912 1,846,011 Adams Feb; 23, 1932 

1. A CANOPY, COMPRISING (A) A PAIR OF LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING RUNNERS HAVING DOWNWARDLY PROJECTING ENDS, (B) A BANK OF LONGITUDINALLY SPACED MEMBERS FIXEDLY CONNECTED TO EACH OF SAID PAIR OF RUNNERS AND EXTENDING ABOVE AND BELOW SAID RUNNERS, (C) THE MEMBERS IN EACH BANK OF MEMBERS BEING SPACED FROM EACH OTHER ALONG THEIR LENGTHS AND CONVERGING UPWARDLY FROM THEIR ASSOCIATED RUNNER TOWARD THE UPPER ENDS OF THE MEMBERS IN SAID OTHER BANK OF MEMBERS, AND (D) MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID BANKS OF MEMBERS AND EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY AND INWARDLY OF EACH OF SAID BANKS OF MEMBERS FOR RELEASABLY INTERCONNECTING SAID BANKS OF MEMBERS TO EACH OTHER IN AN INWARDLY STRESSED CONDITION. 